Jackson State University is poised to enter a new level of shaping the future of the community surrounding the campus with the anticipated release of a comprehensive development plan.
“I’m hoping this is the beginning of a robust conversation,” Dr. Kimberly Hilliard said at Wednesday’s unveiling of the “West Jackson Master Plan: A Grassroots Planning Process.”
Addressing community leaders, faculty, staff and visitors, Hilliard introduced the plan’s developers as part the conference on campus Wednesday through Friday, Oct. 15-17, titled Anchor Institutions: Connecting Campuses and Communities.
Jocelyn Poe, senior planner, and Roy Decker, principal, of Duvall Decker Architects, outlined the master plan. The area includes the Jackson Zoo, Livingston Park, and neighborhoods around the JSU main campus. Some 13,890 residents are in the area.
The plan, which will be published next week, was a year and a half in the making, Decker said. It started with grant approval in 2012, public meetings in 2013, and working sessions at the beginning of 2014, along with meetings with stakeholders.
It’s not a “utopian” plan, Decker said, or one that has high ideals that can never be met, but a “guidebook for action.”
Poe outlined problems facing the community, including homelessness, empty lots and low income; but she also listed the benefits, including a vibrant student community at Jackson State, the resources available at the university, and the commitment by residents and the city to revitalize the area.
Proposed solutions included:
— Creating a city land bank that would promote economic development;
— Leasing property owned by the university, city and state as is done for 16th Second Land (the state leases to obtain funds for public schools);
— Promoting urban farming and green spaces to make a more sustainable community;
— Passing zoning changes to allow for mixed use development so shops and businesses can create a vibrant economy amid residential offerings;
— Developing underused land at the Jackson Zoo and Livingston Park to provide more amenities for downtown living.
Central to the success of this plan is the JSU Center for University-Based Development (CUBD), Decker said.
Earlier, at the conference, sponsored by Jackson State University and the HBCU Community Development Action Coalition (HBCU-CDAC), high-level community development leaders were welcomed by Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dr. Mary White and CUBD Director Jason H. Brookins.
For more information about the conference, see: https://westjxn.com/2014/10/03/hbcu-community-development-action-coalition-conference-oct-15-17/
Or call CUBD at 601-979-5828.
For more information about HBCU-CDAC, see: https://hbcucoalition.org